As the holidays wind down we have likely spent some time hanging around with relatives, visited the homes of friends and probably acquired more than a few new possessions. While not directly related to the exhibition on now at the Charles Allis Art Museum, “Clandestine Possessions & Family Time” offers some reflection and commentary on objects and activities from the private side of life.
The featured artist, James Pederson, was the recipient of the Grand Prize in 2016 for the “Forward” exhibition of contemporary Wisconsin art. With that honor, he was invited for an additional show at the museum, and he brought two additional artists for a collaborative exhibition. Pederson takes the unusual step of representing sports in his painting, and in the current body of work continues that theme with a sense of mild critique. Star Wars Night is a large canvas depicting a baseball game at Ford Field. Costumed characters from the 1977 movie are throwing out the first pitch while in the foreground of this multi-paneled piece, we see the view of seated legs, cell phones and peanuts on the ground. It is, like many of Pederson’s paintings, a little humorous and tinged with the admission that screens, whether on phones or the jumbotron, are ubiquitous and unavoidable.
Pederson is joined by painter Jackson Hunt, whose work has an even more pointed commentary on mass media and its influences. As a Native American, Hunt represents images he grew up with, particularly in terms of illustrations and cartoons that form unflattering caricatures of his heritage. Hunt also uses a photo transfer process to incorporate vintage photographs and family images in his work, making the juxtaposition between family and media fantasy all the more apparent.
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Throughout the museum, you will also find a collaboration between Pederson and sculptor Mariah Tate Klemens. Generally small objects of a decorative nature are interspersed within the collection of Sarah and Charles Allis, making for something of a treasure hunt. The contemporary pieces play hide-and-seek in a way that highlights their irony and craft.
Through April 15 at Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave.
